What legume will give me late spring feed in a high rainfall area?
We recommend our Popany Vetch. It is a later-maturing vetch, taking 130+ days, and suits higher rainfall areas. It provides valuable late-season feed for grazing, hay or silage and adds nitrogen to the soil. Our 2026 guide lists it for areas with 450mm+ rainfall.
How much Popany Vetch seed per hectare?
Our 2026 guide lists a sowing rate of 30–35 kg/ha for Popany Vetch as a single species. Reduce it when sowing with a cereal. Inoculate with Group E rhizobia, as for other vetches, and sow into moist soil in autumn. Talk to us for rates in mixes.
What's a good green manure legume for a South West paddock before vegetables or pasture?
Popany Vetch is a good choice. Its later maturity means more time to build biomass and fix nitrogen before you terminate it, and it suits higher rainfall areas. For a broader blend, consider our Green Manure Mix or Nitro Mix.
What should I mix with a late-maturing vetch for silage?
Pair Popany Vetch with a cereal such as Joey Triticale or Saia Oats. The cereal gives the vetch a frame to climb and adds bulk, and the vetch lifts protein. Cut around the vetch's flowering stage for a good balance of yield and quality. Our Silahay Mix and Custom Mix can include vetch.
Is Popany Vetch safe for pregnant cows and ewes?
Vetch is generally good feed, but rust-infected vetch crops have been linked to abortion in pregnant ruminants. Check Popany Vetch for rust before grazing, and don't graze if it is present. Introduce stock gradually and talk to your vet if you have concerns.
My early vetch finishes too soon in the Great Southern. Is there something that keeps going longer?
Yes, try Popany Vetch. It matures later than our Common Vetch, at 130+ days, so it keeps growing further into spring in higher rainfall districts. That gives extra late-season grazing or a bulkier hay or silage cut. It is best suited to areas with reliable rainfall.
How do I manage grazing on a vetch pasture so it recovers?
Graze vetch lightly once it is well established, rotate stock, and allow time for regrowth, which depends heavily on soil moisture. Avoid grazing during very wet periods. If you plan to cut Popany Vetch for hay or silage, lock the paddock up early enough for bulk to build.
Which legume adds nitrogen for next year's canola or cereal crop in a wetter district?
Popany Vetch is a good option for higher rainfall rotations. Like other vetches, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and improves soil structure and organic matter, and it breaks cereal disease cycles. Its longer season allows more biomass and nitrogen to build up before termination.
When should I sow vetch in a higher rainfall area?
Vetch is typically sown in autumn after a reliable opening rain. Popany Vetch's longer season means earlier sowing gives it the most time to build biomass before spring. Sow into moist soil at about cereal depth, and control redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea early during establishment.
Can I grow a legume for silage on a paddock that sometimes gets wet feet?
Vetches generally prefer well-drained soils. Our guide suggests Popany Vetch has some tolerance of waterlogging, but avoid paddocks that stay flooded. For very wet sites, talk to us about Paradana Balansa clover or Joey Triticale in a mix.
